


A Lightbulb Momento

by LaViaggiatrice



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Identity Reveal, Miraculous Ladybug Secret Santa 2020, mlss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-03
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 03:00:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28521291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaViaggiatrice/pseuds/LaViaggiatrice
Summary: A lucky charm reveal, Christmas fluff fic.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 3
Kudos: 100





	A Lightbulb Momento

**Author's Note:**

> This is my ML Secret Santa fic for Tumblr User ValiantlyJollyNightmare! I hope you enjoy this! 
> 
> Also for this fic we are just going to assume that the Adrigami breakup has already happened and that Mari knows about it and that she also knows that there was supposedly another girl Adrien loved all along. 
> 
> Please enjoy!

Marinette hummed under her breath as she browsed the case before her, she was so laser focused on the task before her, that she missed the sound of approaching footsteps and the nearly jumped out of her skin when the hand landed on her shoulder. 

“ Hi Marinette! Fancy meeting you here.” His voice, permanently embedded in her brain, soaked into her and warmed her to her core, words escaped her as she turned and looked up into those emerald eyes, confirming the voice as belonging to the boy she loves. 

“Aaadrien! Wha-, Doing here what are you?” She hung her head, averting her eyes in shame. It kills a small part of her that she still cannot get her words out in his presence. She promised herself when she learned that he was in love with another that she would focus on being his friend but her heart and her brain betrayed her. Deciding to try again, she looked up and her heart stuttered when she saw the soft warm smile on his face. 

“ Oh you know, I uh, am actually here to pick out some beads for a lucky charm.” Her eye widened as she stared at him, seemingly nervous, he looked away from her with a light blush painting his cheeks and she watched in fascination as his hand awkwardly rubbed the nape of his neck. The motion tickled something familiar in her brain, but she didn’t focus too hard on the thought, lost in his very uncharacteristic hesitation. “ I know that its your thing and I want you to know how very much I treasure your lucky charm and your friendship. I keep it with me always.” He demonstrated by gingerly pulling the little charm out of his pocket. “ And I have been trying to think of a proper gift for…for the girl I told you about and she likes someone else and I want to be her friend and get her a good gift to show her that I am her friend and there for her, I know she’s been very stressed this year and I thought about how your charm helps me, so I thought I would make her her own.” The blushed burned darker across his cheeks the longer he rambled. 

As much as his words left a dull ache in her heart, she found herself smiling at his earnestness. She scoffed internally at how stupid this other girl must be to not like him back. “ I think a lucky a charm is a perfect friend gift, they have a great selection of beads at this store. In fact that’s why I am here, I too am making a charm for a good friend of mine.” 

They locked eyes again and she felt the flush run up her neck. He had a bit of a rogue smile and her stomach couldn’t help but flip as she recognized it as one saved only for close friends. “ Your friend is very lucky to be getting such a gift from you, Marinette, I have had nothing but excellent luck every time I take it with me.” She could only stare at him. “ What charms have you picked out so far?” He leaned forward a bit to peek into her basket.

Shaking herself from his trance inducing stare she reached into the little basket she had been holding to show him her wares. She had black and green thread, a little black prowling cat, and a tiny golden bell to finish it off. “ Oh ho, it looks like your friend is a Chat Noir fan?” Adrien’s eyes once again held a mischievous light in them.

“Yeah, yes he’s a fan of Chat noir. I couldn’t pass up this bell and then I saw the cat and I figured it just made sense at that point to complete the theme with the thread, I was just looking here for chaser beads and I think these green and black ones will do.” She gestured to the colored baubles in the display case next to her. 

“Well I think that’s a purrfect gift. He will definitely enjoy a Marinette original charm, my la-friend is a big lady bug fan so I am looking for what would complete this.” He pulled his previously unseen basket from behind his back, and pulled out red and black thread and chaser beads, and a tiny silver lady bug charm. “ I am just having trouble finding the piece to finish it. Any helpful ideas?” 

Marinette looked from his almost glowing green eyes to the materials in his hand. Maybe it was wrong and damaging to her heart to do it, but she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to help him, even if it was a gift for the other girl. She glanced once more up at him steeling her reserve and turned to the display case with avid attention. Making sure to eye every possible available item, her eyes alight on a particular charm and she carefully picks one up and hands it to him. “ Here, I think this would be perfect.” 

“ A lightbulb! How perfect! Marinette you are a design genius. My friend will love it.” His whole face shown with his infectious excitement. Marinette beamed under his praise. 

“ Well, I am glad I could help.” She bit her lip to try and control her conflicting emotions. “ Will you get to come to the class get together on Saturday?” 

Adrien looked up from his basket and if possible, his smile widened more. “ Yes actually, Father is allowing me to come for the whole afternoon, I am looking forward to it. But I had better get back now before they realize I am not practicing piano in my room. I am meeting my friend tonight and can’t risk getting into trouble before then! Au revoir Marinette!” 

They shared a silent laugh as they walked to the counter and paid. He turned and sent one last heart melting smile at Marinette before walking to his waiting limo. The warmth of his smile kept the chill at bay during her quick walk home. 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hours later Marinette found herself humming the same carol under her breath as she fussed with the tie on her charm. 

“ Does it look okay Tikki?” 

“It looks perfect Marinette! Chat Nor will love it! He will be beside himself with joy when he sees it.” 

“Well I wouldn’t say that Tikki, it's just a little trinket.” Marinette was very please with how it came out and carefully placed it in a little drawstring pouch before adding it to a box of pastries. 

“ Oh Marinette, trust me, this will be the best gift he’s ever received! Don’t underestimate the power of your work! Or the power of Christmas miracles!” 

Marinette distractedly hummed in agreement, not really hearing Tikki, as she continued to prep the little picnic basket. When they had agreed to the meeting after Christmas, she had wanted to make sure she made it special for her dear partner. While she knew she couldn’t return his affections, she did treasure their partnership and wanted to let him know and felt that a box of pastries and some cocoa were a prefect thank you to the young mad who constantly saved her life. (She was sticking to the idea that she couldn’t return his feelings because the idea that she could opened too big of a can of worms for her to deal with presently.)

“Marinette, weren’t you supposed to meet at 10?” Tikki flew up into Marinette’s eye line. 

“ Yes Tikki, 10pm on that roof that over looks the Trocadero.” 

“ Marinette its 9:50” 

“What?! Tikki Oh my god! Spots On!” 

In a flash of bright pink light the Hero of Paris stuffed her treasures into her yoyo and fled out the window in a haste. 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

About one swing away, Marinette saw lithe figure of her partner lounging legs akimbo on the side of the dark townhouse. She imagined the family must be on holiday as the building had been dark for the past week, making it the perfect secret rooftop for the duo to relax on. Alighting on the tiles next to her partner Ladybug shot him a smile before opening her yoyo and pulling the picnic basket. As she spread the blanket, Chat Noir busied himself by pouring the two cocoas and divvying up the sweets, although he was not sly enough for her to miss him stuffing an entire pain au chocolate into his mouth first. 

Allowing themselves to settle and relax, the Heroes of Paris spent the first few minutes catching up on their week apart and giggling over stories of their Christmas’s. Chat blew past details that made it sound like he didn’t spend the day with family, but his morning escapades with Plagg, including trying to wrap a gigantic wheel of cheese left her in stitches. She shared the more subdued antics of her father and grandfather arguing over proper Christmas pastries and the two unconsciously found themselves pressed together during their conversation. 

A natural lull filled with muted giggles had Marinette gazing at her partner over her cocoa mug. She had to admit times like these were when she liked him the most. He was relaxed, open and had mischief filling his eyes and lighting his smile. She wished secretly for more time like this where they could just enjoy each other’s company instead of worrying over Akuma’s. Lost in thought, she missed him reach down for something beside his leg. He put his hand out and there in his clawed glove sat a little box, slightly smaller than his palm; she felt herself blush. 

“M’Lady, I wanted to give this to you as a token of my friendship. I think you’re amazing. And more than that, I know how stressful this year has been, with you being the new guardian and losing our allies and the little you have told me of your daily struggles, I just wanted you to have a little sign to know that I support you and am here for you. A good friend of mine made me one and just carrying it with me fills me with calmness and I thought it could do the same for you.” 

Marinette opened the box gingerly, and almost dropped it, letting out a small shriek of surprise as a jolt of shock seemingly fried every nerve in her body. Left completely speechless, Marinette pulled a red and black charm from the box, eyeing a familiar ladybug and gulping nervously when there, at the end, hung a tiny silver lightbulb. Glancing between the charm and the boy sitting next to her and seeing the earnest familiarity in his green eyes, Marinette burst into tears, unleashing wails of hard sobs. 

Definitely not the reaction he was hoping for, Chat’s eyes widened almost comically as he sat watching her unsure of what to do. “You…You..stupid cat,” she gasped out and his ears lowered, “ You stupid silly wonderful cat.” So overwhelmed with her strange reaction he was unprepared for her to launch herself at him and the pair landed near a chimney as she clung to him sobbing into his collar bone. 

“M’Lady, Im sorry if I did something wro-“

“You silly kitty,” She sniffed into a spare napkin before pulling his head down and kissing the crown of his head. (Later her brain would would make her relive every aspect of this embarrassing encounter, but that’s for later) Gasping for breath and looking down at him from her new position laying next to him, she again pulled out her yoyo and retrieved his gift. “Here, I think you should open this and you’ll understand. I made that so you would always feel appreciated, mon chaton.” 

Sitting up, Adrien took the pouch and opened it, taking one more moment to bask in her radiant smile before unfolding the tissue paper in his hand. A loud bark of laughter escaped him. Left momentarily dumbfounded his laugh got more crazed as he pulled the black and green charm from its bag and flicked the tiny bell at the bottom. Finally succumbing to tears himself, he wrapped his arms around her and tackled her back to the roof whispering happy nothings and continued “I knew it was you!” “ I knew it was you!” Into her hair. The pair lay giggling in their shared joy allowing each other to catch their breaths. 

“This is the Best Christmas EVER! I can’t believe I got this lucky. My Lady is Marinette. Oh Marinette I wanted it to be you.” He gently ran a finger up her cheek, pushing her bangs out of her eyes. His eye softened and she could see the melancholy set in. 

“ I am so glad that its you Marinette. And… and I want you to know that I meant what I said. I support you, I am here for you, I respect that you like this other guy, and frankly I think Luka is very lucky, and I am happy just being your friend.” 

Marinette stared in wonder at the admission. A soft smile graced her lips as she leaned in and pecked Adrien on the corner of his mouth. “ Oh Mon Chaton, we have made such a mess of this,” she cupped his cheek and stared into his eyes. “There is no Luka Adrien, there never was-not really- and I am so sorry for how messy this is, but Adrien, they other boy is and Always has been you.”

“What?” He gasped. 

“That day you gave me you umbrella showed me a side of you different from what I had first thought. And I fell in love with you, I have tried to tell you so many times, and I tried to move on when I thought you were in love with Kagami, and to be honest, I very nearly moved on to being in love with my dear partner. But it seems in the end Adrien, that its’ always you.” She smiled shyly up at him before closing the distance and touching their lips together. The kiss was familiar-as it would being their 3rd kiss-and more importantly, it felt like home. 

The pair pulled apart and basked in the warmth of the moment and each other. They spent the remainder of their evening wrapped together in a bubble just for them. If Adrien stole a kiss as he left her in her room later, she wouldn’t think to care. And if Adrien found a love and extra pastries (and cheese!) in his possession upon returning home, well then he’d only think to love her more. And if they strolled into the class Christmas party the following day hand in hand, well, then their friends would just believe it was the magic of Christmas.


End file.
